Rush hour modeling for routing and scheduling
First Claim
1. A computer readable medium storing computer-executable instructions for:
- receiving a time window;
receiving “
geographic area”
information, said information defining a geographic area;
receiving a travel rule that is to apply to said geographic area during said time window; and
after receiving said time window, said “
geographic area”
information, and said travel rule, applying said travel rule to said geographic area to schedule a route for one or more vehicles during said time window.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A rush hour modeling system that is configured for modifying existing travel time/distance data to reflect special traffic conditions, such as rush hour traffic conditions. The system is configured to receive information defining one or more time windows, geographic areas, and road segments in which special traffic conditions occur. The system is also configured to receive travel rules that reflect the special traffic conditions. The travel rules are used to modify a travel time/distance matrix to reflect the effect of the special traffic conditions on “normal” travel times and distances. Existing routing and scheduling systems can then use the modified travel matrix to plan and schedule routes for delivery vehicles more accurately. Additionally, the modified travel matrix can be used to model traffic conditions through a particular geographic area or on a particular road segment.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A computer readable medium storing computer-executable instructions for:
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receiving a time window;
receiving “
geographic area”
information, said information defining a geographic area;
receiving a travel rule that is to apply to said geographic area during said time window; and
after receiving said time window, said “
geographic area”
information, and said travel rule, applying said travel rule to said geographic area to schedule a route for one or more vehicles during said time window. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A computer readable medium storing computer-executable instructions for:
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receiving a time window;
receiving “
geographic area”
information, said information defining a geographic area;
receiving a travel rule that is to apply to said geographic area during said time window; and
after receiving said time window, said “
geographic area”
information, and said travel rule, applying said one or more travel rules to determine whether to schedule a route for one or more vehicles through at least a portion of said geographic area during said time window. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. A computer readable medium storing computer-executable instructions for:
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receiving a time window;
receiving “
geographic area”
information, said information defining a geographic area;
receiving a travel rule that is to apply to said geographic area during said time window; and
after receiving said time window, said “
geographic area”
information, and said travel rule, applying said travel rule to model the speed of travel of one or more vehicles traveling through said geographic area during said time window. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A computer readable medium storing computer-executable instructions for:
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receiving a time window;
receiving “
geographic area”
information, said information defining a geographic area;
receiving a travel rule that is to apply to said geographic area during said time window;
after receiving said time window, said “
geographic area”
information, and said travel rule, applying said travel rule to said geographic area to generate a time/distance matrix that reflects traffic conditions within said geographic area during said time window; and
utilizing said time/distance matrix to schedule a route for one or more vehicles when said one or more vehicles are scheduled for travel within said time window.
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15. A computer readable medium storing computer-executable instructions for:
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receiving a first geographic area and a first travel rule that is associated with said first geographic area;
receiving a second geographic area, said second geographic area at least partially overlapping said first geographic area, wherein an area within both said first geographic area and said second geographic area defines an overlapped geographic area;
receiving a second travel rule that is associated with said second geographic area;
after receiving said first and second geographic areas and said first and second travel rules, determining whether said first or said second travel rule should be applied to one or more vehicles traveling through at least a portion of said overlapped geographic area;
in response to determining that the first travel rule should be applied to one or more vehicles traveling within the overlapped geographic area, applying the first travel rule to model traffic conditions for one or more vehicles traveling through at least a portion of the overlapped geographic area; and
in response to determining that the second travel rule should be applied to one or more vehicles traveling within the overlapped geographic area, applying the second travel rule to model traffic conditions for one or more vehicles traveling through at least a portion of the overlapped geographic area.
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16. A computer readable medium storing computer-executable instructions for:
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receiving a first geographic area and a first travel rule that is associated with said first geographic area;
receiving a second geographic area at least partially overlapping the first geographic area, wherein an area within both the first geographic area and the second geographic area defines an overlapped geographic area;
receiving a second travel rule that is associated with said second geographic area;
after receiving said first and second geographic areas and said first and second travel rules, determining whether said first or said second travel rules should be applied to one or more vehicles traveling through at least a portion of said overlapped geographic area;
in response to determining that the first travel rule should be applied to one or more vehicles traveling within the overlapped geographic area, applying the first travel rule to determine whether to schedule a route for one or more vehicles through the overlapped geographic area; and
in response to determining that the second travel rule should be applied to one or more vehicles traveling within the overlapped geographic area, applying the second travel rule to determine whether to schedule a route for one or more vehicles through the overlapped geographic area. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A computer readable medium storing computer-executable instructions for:
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receiving a time window;
receiving “
road segment”
information, said information defining a road segment;
receiving a direction of travel restriction that is to apply to said road segment during said time window; and
after receiving said “
road segment”
information and said direction of travel restriction, applying said direction of travel restriction to schedule one or more routes so that substantially no route includes travel by one or more vehicles in the restricted direction of travel on said road segment during said time window. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. A computer readable medium storing computer-executable instructions for:
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receiving a time window;
receiving “
road segment”
information, said information defining a road segment;
receiving a vehicle based restriction that is to apply to said road segment; and
after receiving said “
road segment”
information and said vehicle based restriction, applying said vehicle based restriction to schedule one or more routes so that substantially no route includes travel on said road segment during said time window by one or more vehicles that satisfy the criteria for the vehicle-based restrictions.
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22. A computer readable medium storing computer-executable instructions for:
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receiving a time window;
receiving “
road segment”
information, said information defining a road segment;
receiving a speed variation model that is to apply to said road segment, said speed variation model comprising a percentage increase or decrease from a normal travel time; and
after receiving said “
road segment”
information and said speed variation model, applying said speed variation model to schedule one or more routes.
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23. A computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions for:
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receiving “
geographic area”
information, said information defining a geographic area;
receiving a first time window in which a first speed variation model is to apply within the geographic area;
receiving a second time window in which a second speed variation model is to apply within the geographic area;
after receiving said “
geographic area”
information, said first time window and said first speed variation model, applying said first speed variation model to estimate a travel time associated with vehicles traveling within at least a portion of said geographic area within said first time window; and
after receiving said “
geographic area”
information, said second time window and said second speed variation model, applying said second speed variation model to model traffic conditions for one or more vehicles traveling within at least a portion of said geographic area within said second time window.
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24. A computer readable medium storing computer-executable instructions for:
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receiving “
geographic area”
information, said information defining a geographic area;
receiving a “
no travel”
time window for said geographic area;
receiving “
no travel”
instructions, said instruction specifying that substantially no vehicles should be scheduled to travel within said geographic area during the “
no travel”
time window; and
after receiving said “
geographic area”
information, said “
no travel”
time window, and said “
no travel”
instruction, scheduling vehicles so that the system schedules substantially no vehicles to travel within said geographic area during said “
no travel”
time window.
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25. A computer readable medium storing computer-executable instructions for:
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receiving “
geographic area”
information, said information defining a geographic area;
receiving a first speed variation model that is to apply to a first road classification within the geographic area;
receiving a second speed variation model that is to apply to a second road classification within the geographic area;
after receiving said “
geographic area”
information, said first speed variation model, and said first road classification, applying the first speed variation model to estimate travel times associated with vehicles traveling on roads of the first classification through at least a portion of the geographic area; and
after receiving said “
geographic area”
information, said second speed variation model, and said second road classification, applying the second speed variation model to estimate travel times associated with vehicles traveling on roads of the second classification through at least a portion of the geographic area.
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26. A computer readable medium storing computer-executable instructions for:
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receiving a time window;
receiving a road segment classification;
receiving a travel rule that is to apply to road segments that are assigned to said road segment classification during said time window; and
after receiving said time window, said road segment classification, and said travel rule, applying said travel rule to road segments assigned to said road segment classification to schedule a route for one or more vehicles during said time window. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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Specification